Grow Mushrooms from Trees - Outdoor Log Inoculation Workshop
March 14 OR March 21
Location: Sun & Bloom Farms – Lebanon, Missouri
Want to grow mushrooms in your backyard?
Imagine harvesting fresh shiitake mushrooms from hardwood logs stacked in the shade behind your home.
No greenhouse.
No complicated equipment.
No daily maintenance.
Just trees, biology, and time.
This hands-on workshop teaches you how to grow nutrient-dense food directly from hardwood logs — a simple, long-term system that can produce for 3–5 years from a single inoculation.
This is not theory - This is practical, regenerative food production.
Why This Matters
Log Mushrooms are one of the smartest food investments you can make:
• They grow vertically — using space you already have
• They thrive in shade where vegetables struggle
• They require minimal maintenance
• They produce high-value, nutrient-dense food
• They integrate beautifully into homesteads and small farms
If you have access to hardwood trees, you can grow mushrooms.
Who This Workshop Is For
This class is ideal for:
• Homeowners with wooded property
• Homesteaders
• Small farmers
• Gardeners wanting to diversify
• Families interested in food resilience
• Anyone who wants to learn to grow food from trees
No prior mushroom experience required.
What You’ll Learn (Hands-On Field Workshop)
This is an active, outdoor workshop — not a classroom lecture.
We begin by walking into the woods together, where you’ll learn how to identify the right hardwood species, how to recognize which trees are appropriate to cut, and why timing matters. From there, we’ll demonstrate proper log preparation and storage. Then we move into the full inoculation process — where every participant drills, installs spawn, and seals their own log. We’ll finish by visiting our existing mushroom log stacks so you can see real production systems, management strategies, and what mature logs look like through the seasons.
You will see the entire process from tree to harvest.
🌳 Tree & Log Selection
- How to identify ideal hardwood species (oak, maple, sweetgum)
- Why softwoods don’t work
- Ideal log diameter (4–8 inches)
- When to cut trees and why timing matters
🪵 Log Preparation
- Proper cutting length (3–4 feet)
- Resting period before inoculation
- Storage and moisture management
🔩 Inoculation Methods
- We will demonstrate and practice both primary inoculation techniques:
1. Plug Spawn Method (You Will Do This Yourself)
- Drilling proper depth holes
- Correct spacing (diamond pattern)
- Hammering in plug spawn
- Sealing with wax
2. Sawdust Spawn Method
- Filling drilled holes with loose sawdust spawn
- Using an inoculation tool to pack spawn properly
- Wax sealing for protection
You’ll understand the pros and cons of each system and when to use them.
Each participant will fully inoculate their own log.
🌧 Care & Harvest
- Stacking methods (crib stack & lean-to)
- Moisture management
- When to expect first harvest (6–12 months)
- How long logs will produce (3–5 years)
What to Bring / Workshop Disclaimer
This workshop takes place outdoors and involves light physical activity.
Please wear:
- Sturdy walking shoes or boots
- Clothes suitable for forest and garden conditions
- Work clothes you don’t mind getting a little sawdust on
Drilling logs and working with spawn may result in some wood debris on clothing.
Safety Note:
You’re welcome to bring your own work gloves and protective eyewear if you have a preferred pair you’re comfortable using. We encourage it, especially if you regularly work with tools. That said, gloves and safety glasses will also be available on-site for anyone who needs them.
You Leave With
- One fully inoculated hardwood log
- Enough knowledge to repeat the process at home
- A long-term food-producing asset
- An Informational Hand-out to always look back at for instructions
Retail value of inoculated log: $30–40 (Included in your registration.)
Additional log kits will be available for purchase at the workshop.
Workshop Details
📍 Location: Sun And Bloom Farms – Lebanon, Missouri
🗓 Date Options:
• SATURDAY, March 14, 2026
• SATURDAY, March 21, 2026
⏰ Duration: 3–4 hours
Starts at 9 am
👥 Limited to 15 participants per workshop
Investment
Regular Registration: $95
Early Bird: over 20% off if registered by March 1st
Limited to 15 participants per workshop.
Includes:
- All materials
- Spawn
- Wax
- Tools
- One inoculated log to take home
- One Informational Hand-out
Bonus: April Farm Tour Invitation
Our official farm tours begin in April. All workshop participants are invited to return for one of our spring farm tours at no additional cost, where you’ll see how mushrooms integrate into our broader permaculture systems.
Why Learn This Here?
At Sun & Bloom Farms, we integrate mushrooms into diversified permaculture systems — alongside orchards, gardens, livestock, and perennial plantings. This workshop is part of our broader mission to teach practical, regenerative skills that increase household resilience and long-term food security.
You are not just attending a class. You are learning a skill you can use for decades.
Reserve Your Spot
Spots are limited due to materials and hands-on instruction.
If you’ve ever thought “I want to grow more of my own food,” this is a simple and powerful place to start.